Convertible bed and couch



Dec. 17, 1963 w. P. BRENTON, JR 3,114,155

CONVERTIBLE BED AND coucn Filed May 16, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.WILLIAM P. BRENTON, JR.

ATTORNEY Dec. 17, 1963 w, P. BRENTON, JR

CONVERTIBLE BED AND COUCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 16, 1961 FIG.6

INVEN'TOR. BRENTON,JR.

WILLIAM P.

ATTORNEY Dec. 17, 1963 'w, BRENTON, JR 3,114,155

CONVERTIBLE BED AND COUCH Filed May 16, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR.WILLIAM F? BRENTON, JR.

ATTOR NEY United States Patent 3,114,155 CONVERTIBLE BED AND COUCHWiiiiam P. Brenton, lira, Santa Ana, Caiif., assignor of thirty-threeand one-third percent to Robert L. Griffiths, and thirty-three andone-third percent to Edwin E. Larson, both of Tustin, and thirty-threeand one-third percent to Donald P. McIntosh, Santa Ana, Calif.

Filed May 16, 1961, Ser. No. 110,424 6 Claims. (Cl. -17) This inventionrelates to an apparatus which may be employed as a couch (lounge, sofa,davenport) during the day and as a bed at night, and also to a novellinkage system incorporated in such apparatus.

An object of the present invention is to provide a convertible bed andcouch which is simple and economical to manufacture and use, and whichis reliable and rugged in operation.

Another object is to provide a bed-couch apparatus which may be movedfrom the daytime position to the nighttime position in one smooth,continuous and simple operation, there being no need for separaterelease of a latch, or for lifting of a backrest element.

Another object is to provide a combination bed and couch wherein themattress and frame portion will not creep away from the backrest orheadboard in either the daytime or nighttime position, regardless ofsubstantial pressure exerted by the occupant while sitting or lying onthe mattress.

Another object is to provide a combination bed and couch which iscompletely independent of any other item of furniture, such as a nightstand.

Another object is to provide a combination bed and couch which requiresrelatively little floor space, even when being shifted between itsdaytime and nighttime positions, and which may be designed for a widevariety of furniture arrangements and positions in a room.

Another object is to provide a combination bed and couch which may bemoved out of a corner to a position perpendicular to one of the wallsforming the corner, thus greatly increasing the number of floorarrangements into which the bed-couch may be incorporated.

Another object is to provide a combination bed and couch in which thecombination bolster and backrest is also employed as the headboard.

Another object is to provide a combination bolster, backrest andheadboard which may be in closed position throughout the night, andwhich is so related to a bed and the linkage system therefor that itserves as a headboard during the night and as a backrest during the day.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be morefully set forth in the following specification and claims, considered inconnection with the attached drawings to which they relate.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a combination bed and couch,constructed in accordance with the present invention, in the positionassumed during the daytime;

FIGURE 2 is a corresponding perspective view illustrating the bed andcouch in its nighttime position;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the frame of the apparatus, in thedaytime position;

FIGURE 4 is a schematic plan view illustrating the positions of theindividual link elements during pivoting of the bed out of a corner to aposition perpendicular to one of the walls which forms the corner;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating themanner of pivotally connecting each link to the frame of the apparatus;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional View illustrating the manner ofpivotaily connecting each link to the wall, and

ice

indicating how the link may be lifted off the pivot therefor forcleaning purposes;

FIGURE 7 is a schematic plan view corresponding generally to FIGURE 4but indicating a reverse arrangement by which the bed may be pivotedaway from a night stand to a position perpendicular to the wall againstwhich the night stand is disposed;

FIGURE 8 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the automaticlatch and pull-strap portion of the apparatus;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View illustrating theoperation of the latch and pull strap; and

FIGURE 10 is a horizontal sectional View taken on line 10-415 of FIGURE9.

Referring to the drawings, the bed and couch apparatus includes acombination bolster and backrest element 10 which also serves as aheadboard. This element is fixedly mounted on one wall 11 of the room inwhich the bed and couch is disposed, at a position determined by thefurniture arrangement in the room. The elevation of the combinationbolster and backrest is such that the bed may be moved therebeneath withonly a small amount of clearance. Element 11 may be formed with arectangular frame portion 12 adapted to receive pillows, blankets, etc.,and with a cushioned front portion or door 13 which is hingedlyconnected to frame 12 for upward pivotal movement to permit storing andremoval of the pillows and the like.

The projection from wall 11 of the combination bolster, backrest andheadboard is such that door 13 will support the back of a person sittingon the bed when in its daytime position, shown in FIGURE 1. In addition,the projection from the wall is such that the front face of door 13 willbe substantially flush with the head edge of the bed when in itsnighttime position, as shown in FIG- URE 2. The door 13 may have asuflicient vertical dimension, and be disposed sufliciently far from thewall, that a person sitting on the apparatus (FIGURE 1) will becomfortable.

The combination bed and couch further comprises a suitable horizontalframe 15 adapted to support a box spring-inner spring mattresscombination '16, thus forming the bed portion 19 of the apparatus. Theillustrated frame 15 is formed of suitable wooden members 17. It issupported on four casters 18 disposed at the corners, and which arepreferably of a type adapted to move readily over carpeting. Forexample, the casters may be of generally spherical construction, or maybe elongated rollers.

It is a highly important feature of the invention that the bed 19(including the frame 15 and spring-mattress combination 16) isassociated with the wall 11, or the floor or other suitable fixedsupport, by means of horizontal links 21 and 22. Link- 21 will be termedthe head link since it is adjacent the head H of bed 19 when the bed isin its daytime position. Conversely, link 22 will be termed the footlink since it is relatively adjacent the foot F of the bed when in itsdaytime position.

The head link 21 is pivotally connected to wall 11 at a pivot 23 whichis adjacent the head end of the bed when the bed is in the daytimeposition of FIGURE 1. From pivot 23, link 21 extends generallyperpendicularly to wall 11 (when the bed is in the daytime position) andpivotally connects to frame 15 at a pivot 24 which is also adjacent thehead end of the bed and which is spaced a substantial distance frompivot 23. Pivot 24 is shown as being disposed on the opposite side ofthe center longitudinal axis of the bed from pivot 23, when the bed isin the daytime position.

The foot link 22, is pivotally connected to wall 11 at a pivot 26 whichis spaced a substantial distance from pivot 23 but which is alsoillustrated as spaced a substantial distance from the foot of the bed(daytime position). The other or free end of link 22 is pivoted to theframe 15 at a pivot 27 located relatively adjacent pivot 23, again whenthe bed is in its daytime position. Thus, when the bed is in the daytimeposition illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3 and in solid lines in FIGURE 4,the link 22 is transverse, normally generally perpendicular, to the link21 and extends toward the link 21 from base pivot 26. At such a time,link 22 is generally parallel to Wall 11.

Upon shifting of the bed to its nighttime position, shown in FIGURE 2and in dashed lines in FIGURE 4, the foot link 22 moves in one directionfrom the position generally parallel to wall 11 to a position generallyperpendicular thereto. However, the head link 21 does not shift to aposition parallel to wall 11 but instead moves to a position transverseor oblique thereto. When the bed is in an intermediate position, shownin phantom lines in FIGURE 4, the foot link 22 is in an intermediateposition but the head link 21 is not in an intermediate position. Thus,the head link 21 moves in two directions during the single smoothshifting or rolling of the bed from the daytime to the nighttimeposition.

The described quadrilateral linkage system, which includes as links notonly the elements 21 and 22 but also the wall 11 and the bed frame 15,produces a surprising number of advantages in addition to simplicity andeconomy of manufacture, installation and operation. When the bed is inthe daytime position, the link 21 is perpendicular to wall 11. Ittherefore prevents the bed from moving forwardly from beneath bolster todue to the pressure exerted by the back of the user against thecushioned door 13. In this regard, the link 21 cooperates with acombination latch and pull apparatus 2? which is disposed adjacent thefoot end of the bed and which will be described subsequently relative toFIGURES 840.

After the bed has been shifted to its nighttime position, by employingthe latch and pull apparatus 29, the foot link 22 is operable :toprevent the bed from sliding forwardly from bolster due to pressureexerted on the cushioned door 13 by the occupant of the bed. It ispointed out that the head link 21 is also operable to prevent orminimize such action since it is relatively perpendicular to Wall 11instead of being parallel thereto, this being because the link 21 movesin two directions during shifting of the bed.

When the bed is in the nighttime position it is centered relative to thebolster 1t), and substantially flush with the forward face thereof, sothat the bolster serves as an attractive and useful headboard.Furthermore, and very importantly, the bed is perpendicular to the wall,which is the normal arrangement for beds in a room and which is to becontrasted from the oblique and disconcerting bed arrangements whichresult from conventional bedcouch constructions of the type in which themattress is always horizontal and not folded. It is emphasized that theusers of the present apparatus face in the same direction during the dayas during the night, so that viewing of television is greatlyfacilitated.

The operation of the linkage is such that the foot F of the bed may bedisposed close to a corner or to an object of furniture. Thus, a secondwall 31 is indicated in FIG- URE 4, being spaced only a fed inches fromthe foot end of the bed when the latter is in its daytime position.Despite this extremely small clearance, the bed may be pulled out of acorner to the desirable perpendicular relationship relative to the wall11. It is to be understood that the bolster 10 may be extended clear toWall 31.

Referring to FIGURE 7, an embodiment is illustrated wherein the foot ofthe bed is disposed closely adjacent a night stand, indicated at 32. Itis emphasized that this night stand may be of any desired construction,either economical or costly, since it is not necessary to operation ofthe bed. When the apparatus is in the daytime position, the foot of thebed is close to the night stand, as is one end of the bolster ltta.After pivoting to the nighttime position, the bed is centered beneaththe bolster 10a and is spaced a desirable distance from the night stand.

The links illustrated in FIGURE 7 are longer than those illustrated inFIGURES 1-4, and are denoted by the same numbers except followed by theletter a in each instance. It is pointed out that, with relation to boththe illustrated embodiments, the links and pivotal connections arecompletely concealed by the bed when it is in its daytime position. Evenwhen the bed is in the nighttime position, the links may be concealed bythe bolster It; as illustrated in FIGURE 4.

Referring next to FIGURE 5, each of the links may be pivotally connectedto a frame member 17 in the illustrated simple and economical manner.For example, an angle bracket 33 may be screwed to a member 17, a pivotpin 34 may be welded in the horizontal flange of the angle bracket, anda cotter pin 35 may be used to maintain the link 21 (or 22) adjacent andbeneath such horizontal flange.

Referring to FIGURE 6, a similar means may be employed to secure eachlink to wall 11. Thus, an angle bracket is shown at 37 as being screwedtothe wall, and an upwardly projecting pivot pin 38 is welded to thehorizontal flange of the angle bracket and extends through an opening inlink 21 (or 22). With the described construction, the link 21 may bereadily lifted off the pin 38 to permit cleaning of the floor beneaththe links and beneath the bolster.

It is within the scope of the invention to connect to each other theangle brackets 37 for pivots 23 and 26, for example by making themintegral with an elongated angle element. Such elongated element insuresthat the base points of the linkage will be properly disposed when theapparatus is secured to wall 11. Furthermore, such an element insuresthat the screws which secure the apparatus to the Wall may always beanchored in the stud portions thereof.

Referring next to FIGURES 8l0, the above-indicated latch and pullapparatus 29 is provided at the foot end of the bed, in both of theillustrated embodiments. Such apparatus is illustrated to comprise aresilient metal element 41 which is bent into generally a U-shape, andwhich is skewed in order to permit insertion of screws 42 which secureit to a frame member 17.

The free end of the U-shaped element 41 is bent into triangularconfiguration, having an outer bevel face 43 adapted to ride up abeveled cam surface 44 of a-latch plate 46. The latch plate 46 has aflange 47 which is secured by screws 48 to the wall 11, as bestindicated in FIGURE 9. The latch plate also has a rectangular opening 49into which the triangular portion of element 41 snaps after the face 43has ridden up surface 44.

It is to be understood that the free position of resilient element 41 isthe one shown in solid lines in FIGURE 9. A deformed position is shownin dashed lines therein, the result being that the outer triangularportion of the U-element will snap downwardly into opening 49 as soon asthe bed has been moved from its night position to its position adjacentthe wall. It is also to be understood that the portion of latch plate 46between opening 49 and wall 11 serves to prevent the bed 19 from beingpushed excessively close to the wall and marring the same.

A strap 51, formed of a suitable highly flexible material, is connectedto a lug 52 which extends through opening 4-9 and is integral with thetriangularly-bent free end of U-element 4i. Strap 51 extends upwardlyover the foot portion of the bed, and has at its outer end a ring 53adapted to be grasped by the user of the apparatus.

With the described construction, the user merely grasps the ring 53,when the bed is in the daytime position (FIGURE 1), and pulls thereon ina direction away from Wall 11- This puPling action is transmitted to theflexible U-clement it, thus pulling the triangular end thereof upwardlyout of opening 49 and releasing the latch. Continued pulling causes90-deg'ree turning of bed 19 away from wall 1 until it is perpendicularthereto as shown PEGURE 2. Thus, in one continuous and simple pullmgoperation, the bed is moved from a fixedly-latched position parallel tothe wall to a desired position perpendicular to the wall.

As a specific example of one specific bed-couch construction, which isgiven by way of illustration and not limitation, reference is made tothe embodiment of PI- URES l-4. The bolster of such embodiment may beforty-seven and three-quarters inches long and may project eleven andthree-quarters inches from the Wall. The bolster is disposed at asuiiicient elevation that there is a slight clearance between its lowersurface and the upper surface of bed 19.

The box spring-mattress combination 16 may be thirtyeight inches wide byseventy-four inches long, and is initially disposed so that the head endthereof is flush with one end of the bolster, as illustrated in solidlines in FIGURES l and 4. The link 21 may be twenty-one andthree-eighths inches between the two vertical pivot axes of elements 23and 24, whereas link 22 may be twenty-five and one-quarter inchesbetween thevertical pivot axes of elements 26 and 27. The distancebetweenthe vertical pivot axes of elements 23 and 26 may be thirty-sevenand one-half inches.

Each of the frame members 17 may be one and threequarters inches square.The frame is thirty-six inches wide by seventy-two inches long, outsidemeasurements. There may be one and one-half inches clearance betweenwall 11 and the vertical face of the frame 15 which is nearest to wall11 (when the frame is in its daytime position).

The vertical axis of pivot element 27 may be threequarters inch from theadjacent vertical face of the frame member 17 on which it is mounted.The vertical pivot axisoi element 2 is spaced three-quarters inch fromthe inner vertical face of the associated frame element 17. Each of thevertical pivot axes of elements 23 and 26 may be one and one-quarterinches from wall 11. The vertical pivot axes of elements 2.3 and 24 liealong a line perpendicular to wall 11, when the bed is in daytimeposition.

It is to be understood that the specification and the claims have beenwritten, for purposes of simplicity, on the assumption that theindividual links are straight and that the ends thereof are located ator near the pivotal connection points. The claims likewise apply,however, to constructions in which the links are bent, tortuous, or anyshape which does not interfere with the specified movements, the primaryfactor being the location of the pivot points. Similarly, the claims maynot be avoided by extending the links beyond the pivot points.

Although the present specification has been written on the assumptionthat a separate frame 15 is provided beneath the box spring and mattresscombination, it is to be understood that the casters and links may beconnected directly to the box spring, or any corresponding structure.Thus, the frame 15 may be eliminated.

Although certain claims recite the links and/ or backrestheadboard asbeing connected to or mounted on the wall, they may (as previouslyindicated) be connected to the floor near the wall. The links, and alsothe combination backrest and headboard, may also be connected to a suit-:able piece of furniture, whether or not it is located near or connectedto the wall. It is advantageous to connect both the links and thebackrest-headboard to a single unitary frame adapted to stand alone,particularly for display purposes, and which may (if desired) beanchored to the wall or to the floor near the wall. The claims are to beinterpreted as covering these various situations.

Various embodiments of the present invention, in addition to what hasbeen illustrated and described in detail, may be employed withoutdeparting from the scope of the accompanying claims.

1 claim:

1. A convertible bed and couch, comprising a fulllength tin-jointed beddisposed at all times in a horizontal plane and adapted to be movedhorizontally from a daytime position parallel and adjacent one wall of aroom a nighttime position perpendicular to said one wall, a firsthorizontal link pivotally connected to said Wall and to said bed, oneend of said first horizontal link being pivotally connected to said walladjacent one end of said bed when said bed is in said daytime position,said link extending generally perpendicular to said wall when said bedis in said daytime position and having its other end pivotally connectedto said bed at a point spaced a substantial distance from said wall, asecond horizontal link pivotally connected to said wall and to said bed,one end of said second horizontal link being pivotally connected to saidwall at a point spaced. a substantial distance from said one end of saidfirst horizontal link and being adjacent said bed when said bed is insaid daytime position, the other end of said second horizontal linkbeing pivotally connected to said bed at a point which is relativelyadjacent said one end of said first horizontal link when said bed is insaid daytime position.

2. The invention as claimed in claim 1, in which said second horizontallink extends generally parallel to said wall wt en said bed is in saiddaytime position.

3. The invention as claimed in claim 1, in which said other end of saidfirst link is disposed on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis ofsaid bed from said one end of said first link, when said bed is in saiddaytime position, and in which said one end of said second link isdisposed between the head and foot ends of said bed when said bed is insaid daytime position.

4. The invention as claimed in claim 3, in which a combination headboardand backrest is fixedly mounted on said wall of said room and has itslower portion disposed a slight distance higher than the upper surfaceof said bed whereby a portion of said bed may be disposed therebeneathwhen said bed is in said daytime position, said headboard and backrestextending sufiiciently far from said wall to serve as a backrest whensaid bed is in said daytime position, said headboard and backrestextending sufiiciently far from said wall to serve as the headboard ofsaid bed when said bed is in said nightime position.

5. The invention as claimed in claim 4, in which said headboard andbackrest is correlated to said links in such manner that the front faceof said headboard and backrest is generally flush with one end of saidbed when said bed is in said nighttime position.

6. The invention as claimed in claim 3, in which one end of said bed andone end of said headboard and backrest are substantially flush when saidbed is in said daytime position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS616,624 Leidich Dec. 27, 1898 1,062,261 Smith et al May 20, 19131,604,201 Sheets Oct. 26, 1926 1,740,830 Parker Dec. 24, 1926 1,860,910Taylor May 31, 1932 2,130,556 Miller Sept. 20, 1938 2,628,367 Green Feb.17, 1953 2,760,210 Bebry Aug. 28, 1956 2,788,253 Gussack Apr. 9, 19572,909,789 Bailey Oct. 27, 1959 2,955,297 Bailey Oct. 11, 1960 3,049,723Thierfelder Aug. 21, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,221,467 France Jan. 11, 1960

1. A CONVERTIBLE BED AND COUCH, COMPRISING A FULLLENGTH UN-JOINTED BEDDISPOSED AT ALL TIMES IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE AND ADAPTED TO BE MOVEDHORIZONTALLY FROM A DAYTIME POSITION PARALLEL AND ADJACENT ONE WALL OF AROOM AND A NIGHTTIME POSITION PERPENDICULAR TO SAID ONE WALL, A FIRSTHORIZONTAL LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID WALL AND TO SAID BED, ONEEND OF SAID FIRST HORIZONTAL LINK BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID WALLADJACENT ONE END OF SAID BED WHEN SAID BED IS IN SAID DAYTIME POSITION,SAID LINK EXTENDING GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID WALL WHEN SAID BEDIS IN SAID DAYTIME POSITION AND HAVING ITS OTHER END PIVOTALLY CONNECTEDTO SAID BED AT A POINT SPACED A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE FROM SAID WALL, ASECOND HORIZONTAL LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID WALL AND TO SAID BED,ONE END OF SAID SECOND HORIZONTAL LINK BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAIDWALL AT A POINT SPACED A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE FROM SAID ONE END OF SAIDFIRST HORIZONTAL LINK AND BEING ADJACENT SAID BED WHEN SAID BED IS INSAID DAYTIME POSITION, THE OTHER END OF SAID SECOND HORIZONTAL LINKBEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID BED AT A POINT WHICH IS RELATIVELYADJACENT SAID ONE END OF SAID FIRST HORIZONTAL LINK WHEN SAID BED IS INSAID DAYTIME POSITION.